- Which hand would you rather have:
- an inside straight draw
- two overcards
The big reveal: (Spoiler Alert) http://www.poker1.com/archives/8715. This comes from an excellent article that I read. I thought I'd share it with you.
"Now, there are a couple things to keep in mind that are beyond the scope of today's lesson - things we might talk about in the future. One is that not all overcards are equal. Aces rule, for sure. Another is that you can have both an overcard and an inside straight draw using just one card from your hand. The remaining card could be a deuce out of straight range, and you'd still have better prospects of drawing out on an opponent than you would if you held just two overcards. Also, since we're mentioning other considerations that we won't detail today, keep in mind that a lower straight draw is usually more likely to hold up than a higher one."
27suited July 26, 2010 8:29 AM
The answer is: it depends. Now let me explain.
Versus a maniac, holding 2 overcards (preferably one of them being an ace) means that there's a high chance that you're already in the lead. With the straight draw I'd actually have to hit to be certain.
On the other hand versus a very tight player, 2 overcards might be pure poison. If for example I would have AJ, I'd fold in an instant since there's a great chance that the opponent has a better ace or a premium pocket pair. Here the straight draw becomes the ticket to some very good implied odds especially if the draw is disguised.
Of course no matter what draws you have, if the flop is made of blanks a bit of aggression might win you the pot on the spot. But that's a different story.